by E. L. Todd
Was it going to be that easy? She was that understanding? Most girls would have a bigger issue with what I just said. Most girls would voluntarily quit their job if it meant they had a chance with me. The fact Rome was so professional, almost indifferent, was surprising. “Well, I’m glad we worked this out.”
“Me too.” She gave me a light smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah…” I stood up and adjusted my bag.
“Mr. Riley?”
I turned and saw Jillian, Mr. Norwalk’s secretary. “Yes?”
“Mr. Norwalk would like to speak to you before you leave.”
That didn’t sound good. “I’ll be there in a moment. Thank you.”
Jillian walked off.
“I hear a promotion coming your way…” Rome flashed me a smile.
“Or a demotion,” I said with a forced laugh.
“You’ll be fine.” She stood up and grabbed her purse. “I’ll see you around, Thomas.”
“Bye, Rome.” I turned away from her and tried to force her face from my mind. Every time I looked at her, all I wanted to do was kiss her again. I didn’t even want to have sex with her. I just wanted to kiss her.
I stepped inside Mr. Norwalk’s office. “You wanted to see me, sir?”
“Yes, take a seat.” He was an older man with a chubby face. “Had a good time at the gala?”
“Definitely,” I said. “You put on a great party.”
“Well, my wife organized most of it so you can complement her.”
The woman you cheat on left and right? “She has good taste.”
“Indeed.” He became serious, getting to the point. “I need to meet with a lucrative client this week but I simply can’t make it. You’re the best I got, Thomas. I need you to go in my place.”
I didn’t ask why he couldn’t go. It wasn’t any of my business. It was more money for me anyway. “Where, sir?”
“San Diego.”
In California? “I see.”
“Can you make the trip?”
It wouldn’t matter if I couldn’t. “Of course, sir.”
“Excellent,” he said. “All expenses are paid, of course. I have two plane tickets and two hotel rooms booked under your name.”
Two plane tickets? Two hotel rooms? Why? “Who else is accompanying me?”
“Your secretary, of course. I know I wouldn’t be able to survive without mine.”
Being in a five star hotel on the beach sounded like a deadly situation. She would be sleeping in the room next to me, and we would have a few days in each other’s company. It was the ideal place for another spark to ignite. This was the worst possible thing that could happen to me. “Actually, I’m sure Rome would prefer to stay here. And I’ll manage without her.”
“Don’t be so thoughtful, Thomas,” he said. “I need the tax write-off anyway.”
My suggestion wasn’t to save him money. “It’s really not a big deal.”
“Nonsense,” he said. “I’ll send all the paperwork your way. And Thomas, I need you to be aggressive with this guy. I’ve been trying to get his money for years.”
“I won’t let you down, sir,” I said automatically. In reality, all I was thinking about was Rome -in a skimpy bikini on the beach, sun tan lotion spread all over her body. My cock got hard just thinking about it.
“Excellent. You leave tomorrow.”
That was short notice. I hoped it wouldn’t be an inconvenience to Rome. Actually, I did. That was I wouldn’t have to take her along. After the stunt I pulled the other night, I had a feeling I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands to myself. “Thank you, sir.” I stood up and shook his hand.
“Have a great time in San Diego.”
“I will.” I walked out and headed back to Rome’s desk. Everything was moving in slow motion. I feared telling her about the trip. I hoped she wouldn’t think it was a ploy to get her alone again. The last thing I wanted was her to think I was a scumbag trying to trick her into bed.
When I reached her desk, she was getting her purse to leave.
“Promoted?” she teased.
“Uh, actually no.”
“Everything alright?” she asked.
“I’m leaving for San Diego tomorrow to meet a client. I’ll be gone for three days.”
“Oh, that sounds like fun.”
She didn’t catch on. “Mr. Norwalk has provided a plane ticket and accommodations for you as well. I understand if you can’t make it. It’s very short notice. You’ll just need to tell Mr. Norwalk.”
She processed my words for a moment, trying to hide her surprise. “I should be able to make it. I just need to move a few things around…”
Goddammit. “Okay. I guess I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Good evening, Thomas.”
“You too.” I walked out, feeling terrified.
***
I found my seat on the plane then pulled out my iPad. I had a book to finish, and I hoped it would distract me from the gorgeous woman about to join me in just a moment.
Rome came down the aisle then took the seat beside me. “Hello, Thomas.”
“Hey, Rome.” We were both trying our best to be as professional as possible. They were poor attempts.
“Are you afraid to fly?” she asked.
“No. Are you?”
“No. I was just checking.”
After everyone was in their seats, the plane took off. When we reached the right altitude and flattened out, people started to move about the cabin. I held my iPad and started to read.
Rome was watching the TV that folded down. Her legs were crossed, and she was dressed for work.
We spent a few hours in comfortable silence, not speaking or looking at one another. At some point, she fell asleep. Her body slowly slid toward me, and then her head moved to my shoulder.
I froze at the touch, not wanting her to touch me. But I knew she was asleep and didn’t even realize what she did. So I just let it be. I grabbed a blanket and covered her with it, making sure she was comfortable. Then I returned to my iPad. It was nearly impossible to read when her fragrance came to my nose. It smelled like wildflowers on a summer day.
In her sleep, she turned slightly, putting more of her weight against me.
I didn’t mind, but it made me feel warm. I liked feeling her close to me. Her fingers touched my arm, like she wanted to grab it. I turned my face toward her and smelled her hair. The scent reminded me of a meadow. When I lingered for a few moments, I knew it wasn’t healthy. I forced myself to turn away.
When we were in the San Diego airspace, the captain’s voice spoke over the intercom. “Fasten your seatbelts. We’ll be landing shortly.”
His voice stirred Rome. She took a deep breath then yawned. Then she realized she was leaning on me because she quickly pulled away and fixed her hair. “Sorry…” Her voice was raspy.
“It’s okay,” I said. “I didn’t mind.”
She still seemed embarrassed because she stayed as far away from me as possible and didn’t look at me.
After we landed, we left the plane then grabbed our luggage. A man held a sign with my name on it, and we followed him to the town car waiting for us. Rome clearly had never had a chauffeur before because she tried to pack her own luggage in the trunk. The man took over and told her to get inside. She and I sat in the backseat, and Rome looked embarrassed for a second time.
“It’s hard for me to let people do stuff for me too.”
She smiled then looked away.
We drove to the Hotel Del Coronado, right on the beach. The red roofing of the hotel was iconic, and it was a great location. A slight breeze moved through the palm trees, and everything looked peaceful. The sound of seagulls was heard in the distance.
“This place is beautiful,” she said.
“It is,” I agreed.
We checked in at the front desk and headed to our rooms. Due to the time change, it was early afternoon. The bellman carried our luggage inside then unlocked the
door joining our rooms.
Goddammit.
“Have a nice stay,” the bellman said as he walked out.
I tipped him then watched him go.
Rome was in her room, separated by a thin wall, and she was all I could think about. I had nothing to do but sit in my room all day. I could watch TV or surf the web on my laptop, but spending time in paradise alone didn’t sound appealing. And I couldn’t go to the bar and pick up a girl because that would be awkward. I didn’t want to anyway.
After a deep sigh, I walked to her door and knocked.
She opened it a moment later, wearing a thin sundress with her yellow bikini underneath. A large flappy hat was on her head, and her hair was braided over one shoulder.
Her appearance made me speechless.
“I was going to hit the beach…unless you need me for something?”
“No, I actually wanted to see if you wanted to do something…”
“Oh, well, how about the beach?”
Seeing her in a bikini? There was nothing I wanted more. But that also sounded dangerous. I struggled to say no, especially since I would just gawk at her from my balcony with binoculars.
“Well, I’ll let you change.”
Oh yeah, I was still wearing a suit. “Sure, give me a moment.” I returned to my room and changed into swim trunks and a t-shirt. And I found my aviators before I walked out.
Rome was standing outside my door, a large purse over her shoulder. She looked me up and down before she looked away. “It’s nice seeing you in something other than a suit.”
“Yeah, I’d wear this to work if I could get away with it.”
We headed to the beach and found two cabanas pushed together. Naturally, all the attendants thought we were together. When we were seated, I ordered gin and tonic, and she ordered a fruity drink with an umbrella.
Then she took off her dress.
Don’t look. Don’t do it. Do not look.
I looked.
Her stomach was flat with the light definition of muscle. Her legs were endless, toned and firm. Her hips were wide and then led to an hourglass frame. Her tits were curvy and perky.
Fuck, why did I have to look?
I quickly turned away, hoping she hadn’t noticed me being a creep.
She pulled out a magazine and started to read.
I took off my shirt because I felt warm. I left it at the end of the chair before I leaned back. When I glanced at Rome, she quickly turned away, like she’d just been looking at me.
Well, at least we were even now.
I took out my iPad and began to read.
Hours passed in lazy silence. Rome pulled her hat further over her head to block out the sun, and her hair looked cute in a braid. There were little things she did I found to be innately cute. I stared at her toes and saw that they were painted yellow like her swimsuit. It must be her favorite color.
When she turned to grab her drink off her tray, I spotted the long scar along her ribs. It was noticeable in the sun, unable to be ignored. I stared at it for a long moment, wondering how she got it. It wasn’t a minor cut. It was significant. “What happened to your ribs?” I blurted.
She turned to me, surprise in her eyes. “Sorry?”
I pointed. “I noticed your ribs. It looks like it was painful.”
“Oh.” She glanced down then seemed embarrassed. “I broke my ribs a few years ago…accident.”
“How many did you break?”
“Three.”
How did she do that on accident? “Did you fall?”
“Yeah…I fell on the edge of the counter. It was excruciating.”
I decided to drop the subject because she seemed uncomfortable.
“What happened to your shoulder?” she asked.
I absentmindedly felt it. “Theo broke it when I was in high school.”
“Oh.” She sipped her drink again.
I leaned back and watched the sun move in the sky.
Rome put her magazine down then stood up. “I’m going to take a dip because I’m hot.”
No, don’t do that. “Okay.”
“Want to join me?” She stood up and held onto her hat so it wouldn’t fly away in the breeze.
“Uh, sure.” If I stayed here, I would just watch her with a massive hard-on.
We both walked across the sand to the water.
Two young girls were lying on beach towels, and I had their attention as I passed. I ignored them, my eyes on Rome. She walked with a natural grace, like she was a queen in another lifetime. Despite the freezing temperature of the water, she got in waist deep.
I stared at her, feeling a vision overtake me. I never wanted to marry, but I always imagined my wife would look like this if I ever took one. Rome’s fingers trailed in the water, and she giggled as the cold waves hit her. Her body was nothing but curves, and she was hot like a supermodel. When she smiled, it was brighter than the sun. She was always in a good mood, and even though I kissed her and took it back, she didn’t seem hurt. She was strong and independent, refusing to let anything bother her. Like me, she lived in the moment.
“Come on,” she called. “It’s not that cold.”
I watched her for another moment before I joined her.
She stretched her arms out and let another wave hit her. She laughed as it passed.
I smiled at her reaction, realizing how infectious her joy was. “First time in California?”
“Do I make it that obvious?” she asked.
“It’s okay if it is.”
“When you told me this would pretty much be a free vacation, I admit I was thrilled. I’d never be able to take a trip like this on my own.”
“I’m glad I get to share the experience with you.”
She spun around in the water. “Geez, it’s cold. But it’s nice.”
I came closer to her and felt the top of the water with my palms. “It is nice.”
She stood with her back to the waves and stared at the hotel.
I kept staring at her.
Then a particularly big wave came, large enough to knock her over. Without thinking, I grabbed her and picked her up, forcing her legs around my waist. When the wave hit, I held us still. I got soaked, but her hair was still dry.
“Wow, that was big!” She gripped my shoulders and laughed.
“I just saved your life.”
“You did.” She giggled then slid down my body. When she reached my waist, she didn’t let go.
I didn’t either. I held her to me, my face pressed close to her. Despite the freezing temperature of the water, I was hard. I sincerely hoped she didn’t notice. Automatically, I glanced at her lips, remembering the thrill that swept through my body when I kissed her. I wanted to feel that again, a connection I’d never felt before. We were in paradise, a place I’d taken my lovers before, but I couldn’t have her in the same way. Actually, I didn’t want to. All I wanted was a kiss. And that’s never happened to me before.
The tension became too much for her. She moved out of my embrace then stepped away, still in the water. She looked out to sea, pretending nothing happened. I stared at her back, hating myself for not kissing her and also hating myself for wanting to. Why did she have to work for me? Maybe I should ask her to quit so we could start something together. But I remembered she said she really needed the job. Could I be that selfish and ask her to leave?
“Now I’m cold.” She headed back to shore.
I followed behind her then walked her back to the cabanas.
Silently, we sat down again and tried to forget what just sparked between us.
When the sun started to set, the cold breeze moved in.
“Would you like to have dinner with me?” I asked.
“Sure.”
We left the cabanas then headed back to our rooms.
“I’ll pick you up in an hour,” I said before I walked into my room.
“Okay.”
***
Since I wasn’t at the office, I wore a dark
gray t-shirt with dark jeans. It was nice not to wear a stiff suit. Having a tie around my neck all day was borderline painful. I wondered what Rome was wearing. I sincerely hoped she looked absolutely hideous to make my life easier.
I knocked on her door and waited for her to answer.
When she stepped out, she was wearing a short sundress that reached her thighs. She wore nude pumps, and her hair was curled. Earrings dangled from her lobes. Her curves were highlighted in the fabric, and her legs looked even more beautiful than before.
I realized I’d been staring at her for at least a minute. “Uh, you look nice…” I must have looked like an idiot.
“You look nice too.” She touched her nose gently. “I got a little sunburned.”
I smiled. “I did too.”
“But it was nice to get some sun.”
We walked together to the hotel restaurant. My natural instinct was to put my arm around her waist as I escorted her, but I refrained from doing that. Every time I was around her, I wanted to take her like she belonged to me. It was a habit I wish I would break.
I pulled out her chair for her at the table, and she seemed surprised. But she hid it quickly. Then I sat across from her, hating the fact she looked so damn beautiful. She hardly wore any make up, and that just made her more beautiful.
I picked up the menu just so I had something to look at other than her. “Everything looks good…”
“Yeah.” She examined the selections.
I decided on the pasta since it was the only thing on the menu that wasn’t seafood.
The waiter came over and we ordered. Then we both looked out the window and stared at the beach and the water. A few people were still outside, watching the sun disappear behind the horizon.
“Are you a vegetarian?” she asked.
I turned my gaze back to her. “I am.” I was used to being teased about it so I waited for the taunts.
“How long have you been doing that?”
“About five years.”
“Any particular reason why?” she asked.
I shrugged. “I respect animals. I don’t think they’re mindless idiots. They have souls just like the rest of us…not that I judge you for eating meat.”
She smiled. “I know you don’t, Thomas. I think it’s really sweet that you’re a vegetarian.”
“For the most part, it’s healthier too.”